COMMONWEALTH SIDE LOSES

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27306, 24 March 1954, Page 9

COMMONWEALTH SIDE LOSES

CLOSE MATCH WITH ALL KANSAI (N.Z. Army Information Service) OSAKA, March 22. In the opening match of its Japan tour at Osaka, the Commonwealth Forces Rugby team lost to All Kansai by 18 poirits to 15. Giving a superb exhibition of three-quarter line play, the nippy Japanese backs baffled the Commonwealth defence, and it was only the tireless efforts of the touring forwards, notably the New Zealanders, I. C. A. Falvell (Taumarunui) and O. W. Gleeson (Feilding), whicji kept the scores so close. Eight New Zealanders took part in the match. They were: backs, W. R. McGregor (Wairoa), C. J. Wilson (Wellington), E. Sinclair (Hastings), and H. T. Harrison (East Coast); forwards, R. J. Cantwell (Auckland), G. Walker (Wairoa), and Gleeson and Flavell.

At half-time the Commonwealth forces led by 5 points to 3. Towards »the end of the match, the Army side was still leading by 15 points to 9, but the bril-< liant Kansai backs retaliated with two splendid tries to even the score, and just on time, clinched the game with a try from a scissors movement which brought the spectators to their feet. New Zealanders scored most of the Commonwealth points, Cantwell and Harrison scoring tries and Wilson converting three. Tomorrow, March 24, the Commonwealth team is to play the All Kanto Students’ team, at Tokyo.

NORTH CANTERBURY SUB-UNION

Bepause no seven-a-side tournament was held last season, the receipts had suffered a loss of £2O or £3O, and the credit balance for the year was £2 7s 10d, said the president of -the North Canterbury Rugby Football Sub-Union (Mr F. J.

Foley) at the annual meeting of delegates at Rangiora on Monday evenings An expenditure of about £6O for new gear have to be made in the forthcoming season, he added.

Officers elected were: patrons, Mr W. H. Gillespie, M.P., and Mr A. Burke; president, Mr Foley; vice-presiflent, Mr A. W. Inch; management committee, Messrs M. Henderson, L. Ashworth, B. Dunick, and E. Gillman; honorary treasurer, Mr K. Hood; auditor, Mr L. D. J. Smith; trustees, Messrs Foley and Hood; delegates to Canterbury Rugby Union and Canterbury Rugby Sub r Unions’ meetings, Messrs Foley, Henderson, R. D. Catherwood, and Inch; delegates to Canterbury Rugby Subunion executive, Messrs Foley and Catherwood.

Opening day was fixed for May 1, tne starting time for all matches to be 2.30 p.m. The affiliation fee was fixed at £6 6s a club.

On the motion of the president, it was agreed to change the northern boundary so as to bring it about 200 yards inside the Glenmark area and exclude the’ Murray homestead. The meeting discussed a proposal by the Ellesmere sub-union for submission to the annual meeting of delegates to the Canterbury union, with the object of obtaining better recogpition of country players. It was suggested that the union and subunions should commence the season by playing one championship round, on the completion of which a provincial championship would be organised with four top teams in the union’s competitions and two sub-union teams. Three matches would be played in Christchurch and two in the sub-unions’ areas. The proposal was supported in principle, but it was decided not to bind the delegates in their voting at the forthcoming meeting.

REFEREES ELECT OFFICERS The sixtieth annual meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Referees’ Association elected the following officers:— President, Mr W. Fright; vice-presidents, Messrs V. C. Empson and S. W. Whiteford; secretary, the Rev. Dr. G. Harrison; coaching instructor, Mr C. R. McCallum; delegate to New Zealand Rugby Referees’ Association, Mr McCallum; treasurer, Mr R. G. Condliffe; delegate to Canterbury Rugby Union, Mr Fright; representative on corrfpetitions committee of Canterbury Rugby Union, Dr. Harrison; executive committee, Messrs K. Noonan, L. J. Hewland, B. J. Drawe, L. Kirk, and A. K. ~Hopa.